Sirup valve for draft arms



A. L. KOENIG SIRUP VALVE FOR DRAFT ARMS April 16, 1940.

Filed May 29. 1939 Patented Apr. 16, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT 1 OFFICE2,197,186 snwr VALVE FOR DRAFT ARMS Alphonso L. Koenig', Chicago, 111.

Application May 29, 1939, Serial No. 276,350

11 Claims.

mixing sirup delivered under'low pressure and charged water supplied ata high pressure and discharging the mixture for use. An improved valvedevice of this type is illustrated in my Patent No. 2,162,384 to begranted June 13, 1939.-

One objection to the valve device of said patent is that, as the mixtureof sirup and charged water is dispensed, it flows down over a coiledspringthat underlies the sirup valve, proper, and tends constantly tohold itin its closed position. It is difficult to keep the. springandthe part which it surrounds clean so that, unless great careistaken,the dispensed liquid is causedto flow over surfaces that are unclean.One. of the objects. of the present invention is to produce an outletvalve device of thetype of my aforesaid patent, in which the mixture ofsirup and charged water flows only over smooth surfaces which can bereadily cleaned. A further object .of the present invention istoproducesuch a valve device in a form that permits it to be detachedwithout the use oftools and to be separated. into parts one of which issimply the valve for the sirup and the cylindrical skirt with which itis customary to provide valves of this'kind..

In the old form of valve device a-large part of the charged water isdriven through the tubular. stem of the outlet valve forthe sirup, andsome or all of it discharged radially against the sur rounding coiledspring through small ports in the cylindrical wall of the stem. Theseports are usually drilled, so that the charged liquid is driven pastsharp, corners upon. entering the ports. The result of these twoconditions is that an excessive amount of the gas with which the liquidis charged becomes free and causes the dispensed liquid to be lesssparlding than it'would be if moreof the gas were retained. A furtherobject of the present invention is to produce a.

valve device which delivers a-mixture of charged liquid and sirup with asubstantially higher gas content than is possible in the caseof theprevious types of valves. This object I attain by eliminating from thepath of the charged liquid all sharp edges or obstructions that couldserve to break up a'solidstream, particularly a small one, into a sprayor mist. I

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterizedwill hereinafter be pointed out with'particularity in the claims; but,for a full understanding of myinvention and of its objectsandadvantages, reference may be had to the following detaileddescription'taken in con nection with the accompanying drawing, where-Figure 1 is a vertical section through that portion of a draft armadjacent to and including what may be termed the nozzle, illustratingthe present invention; Fig. 2 is a similar section, on a. larger scale,showing only a fragment of the tube or hollow stem into whichliquidunder high pressure is delivered through a nozzle, together with itsenlarged downward extension; Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2,looking in the direction of the arrows, the pins for closing the sirupvalve being also included; Fig. 4 is a sec-' tion on line 33 of Fig. 2,looking in the oppc-, site direction from that in which the arrowspoint, the tube or hollow stem. and the thrust pins which appearin'Figs. 1 and3 being shown in elevation. r

The present invention has to do only with what may be termed the valvefor controlling the sirup outlet, and the immediate means for causingthe sirup to be mixed with charged water and, there fore, only so muchof the'remainder of the draft arm, disclosed and claimed inmytwoaforesaid patents, as is necessary for an'. understanding of thepresent improvements, is illustrated.

Briefly described, the draft arm may be said to comprise a casing Ihaving a measuring chamber 2 for sirup, and a chamber 3 for receivingfrom a suitable source of supply charged water sirup chamber.' The sirupchamber communie cates at the bottom with a vertical cylindrical chamber4 open on the under side and provid ing the outlet for the sirup. Thisoutlet is normally closedby the usual valve fi-which may have the formof a. thick disk The high pressure chamber 3 has an extension. 6 ofsmaller diameter which overlies the chamber 4. Communication between thechamber 3;and. its extension is con trolled by the usual valve 1.adapted to be opened by means of the usual or anysuitable operatinghandle 8. This handle, by means not here shown, also serves .to-forcethe valve 5 down and open the sirup outlet at the same'time that thevalve 1 is opened. Lying within and coaxial with the cylindrical chamber4 is a nipple 9 theupper end of which is closed b 'y-Ta thin wall Illthat separates the bore in thenipple from the cham ber 6. A nozzle ll,having a 'verysmall orifice,

extends through and is fixed in the wall or partition I 0 so that whenthe valve 1 is opened, fluid tofore specifically described are disclosedin one or the other of my aforesaid patents.

In accordance with the present invention, I screw into the nipple 9along tube or hollow stem that projects downwardly a considerabledistance below the lower end of the nipple. The bore of the member i2 isvery much greater than that of the nozzle I! so that the fluiddischarged into the same from the nozzle immediately expands and greatlyreduces the pressure thereof. Consequently, the charged liquid that isdispensed from the lower end of the tube or stem i2 is at the desiredpressure for filling drinking containa ers. The member l2 serves notonly as a conduit or spout for carrying charged water to a pre-.determined outlet point, but also as a guide and centering device forthe valve 5. It will be seen that the valve 5 has a central hole Mthrough which the member l2 extends. I prefer that the opening 14 shallbe frusto-conical, the smallest diameter being at the top, whereby thevalve is centered against bodily lateral movements but may rock througha limited angle in order to seat itself properly against the valve seatsurrounding the open'end of the chamber 4, and may, slide freely up anddown on the member l2.

Screwed upon the lower end of the member !2 is a capsule-shaped shellcomprising an upper section 15 and a lower section l6 screwed together,as indicated at IT. The lower end of this shell or extension ispreferably brought to a blunt or rounded point, as indicated at l8,while the top consists of a fairly thick, flat wall I9; the connectionbetween the extension and the member l2 being produced by screwing themember l2 into and through the wall l9.

Within the hollow extension is a suitable compression spring devicewhich may conveniently consist of two long compression springs 20 and2!, one of which surrounds the other. Resting on top of the springs is apiston 22 in the form of an inverted cup comprising a flat bottom whichmeets the cylindrical skirt or wall 24 in a sharp corner: the pistonbeing a good sliding fit that will make it diificult for fluids to passbetween the same and the surrounding shell. On top of the piston is seta disk 25 the under side of which is convex, so that the disk may rockfrom side to side in any direction. The top face of the disk is polishedso as to be very smooth, and the periphery is rounded, as indicated at25, so as to leave no sharp edges or corners.

Resting upon the disk 25 are the heads 2'! of a plurality of pins'28which extend up through and have a sliding fit in the wall l9 formingthe top of the capsule or extension. I prefer to use three of thesepins. as shown. The heads of the pins serve as limiting stops to preventthev pins from being pushed too far in the upward direction by theunderlying springs. The upper ends of the pins engage with the underside of the valve 5 and, when free to do so, the pins hold the valveseated. In other words, the parts are so proportioned that when thevalve 5 is closed, as shown in Fig. 1, the springs are'under compressionand thus cause the pins to exert upward pressure on the valve.

The disk 25 servesas a spreading device for charged water deliveredagainst the same from the lower end of the tube or hollow stem i2, thewater passing radially, in all directions, and leaving the interior ofthe shell or extension through a number of slots distributed around theshell or extension with theirupper bounding edges lying in the plane ofthe under face of the wall IS; the combined length of the slots being ayielding only a little less than the circumference of the shell orextension, so that each slot is separated at its ends from the adjacentslots by narrow, uncut strips of metal. In the arrangement shown, thereare three of these slots 29, and 3|, separated from each other at theirends by narrow wall sections 32. The pins 28 are so disposed that eachlies just within or behind one of the wall sections; the head of eachpin being cut away on one-side, as shown, so as to fit against one ofthe sections 32. The pins and their heads are round so that the chargedWater striking them after being deflected laterally by the spreadingdisk 25 meets no sharp corners or edges. Care is also taken to round thecorners at all of the wall edges bounding the three outlet slots.Consequently, the charged water, after leaving the lower end of thetubular stem [2, does not encounter any sharp corners or edges whichinvariably act to liberate excessive quantities of the gas with whichthe water is charged, and the water therefore contains a desirably highgas content when it is delivered into the drinking glass or containeralong with the sirup.

The charged water escaping from the shell or extension travels laterallyin the plane of the under side of the wall l9 until it is arrested bythe usual cylindrical skirt 34 that surrounds and depends from the valve5. The sirup flows down over the exterior surface of this skirt and ismet at the lower edge of the skirt by the charged water which istraveling downward along the interior surface. Some of the charged waterand, subsequently, some of the mixture of water and sirup, may flow downalong the extension on the hollow stem; but, by making the extensioncircular in cross section and providing it with a polished exterior. thewater and sirup encounter no obstacle, while flowing down,- that wouldcause undesired liberation of the charging gas in the water.

The piston 22 may be a good enough fit within the surrounding shell toprevent any substantial leakage of water downwardly past the same,particularly since the top and sides of the piston meet in a sharpcorner or edge. However, in order to relieve the pressure directly abovethe piston after it has been forced down by the opening of the valve 5,I place a small hole 35 in the wall of the shell or extension at a pointwhich lies between the lower edge and the top of the piston when thevalve 5 is closed, and at or above the top of the piston when this valveis open. Since the spreader plate 25 must be permitted to rock.

' it cannot be as close a fit in the surrounding shell as is the pistonand, therefore, some charged water will drive down past the spreaderdisk and against the piston. This water can escape through the hole ororifice 35. I also place at the lowest point in the bottom of thecapsule-like extension a drain orifice 36 which will permit water todrain out of the interior of the extension after the valve 5 has beenclosed; should any waterv succeed in getting down past the piston.

It will thus seen that I have produced a construction in which none ofthe sirup, after mingling with the charged water at the lower edge ofthe skirt 34 comes in contact with anything except the smooth outersurface of the lower end of the capsule-like extension or shell.Consequently, this surface is kept clean by the action of the chargedwater, while the draft arm is in use. Should the draft arm be left idlefor a time long enough to cause any growths to develop on surfaces towhich some of the sirup adheres, all such surfaces can be cleaned easilyand efiectively. Since no sirup comes in contact with the springs housedin the polished shell, they do not require to be cleaned as'dospringsover which themixtureof charged water and sirup flows and, furthermore,they are so efiectively housed that neither the water nor thesirup canbe contaminated through contact therewith.

It will also be seen that the entire valve and mixing unit can bequickly and easily removed and the main sirup valve with its skirt beseparated from the remainder of the unit so that each may be cleanedindependentlyof the other,

while the two sections of the capsule-like de'-- vice may be unscrewedfrom each other to permit the removal of the springs and other mov-'able elements within the interior thereof. It is unnecessary to removethetubular element or: hollow spring that supports the capsule-likedevice so that, lay-screwing the capsule-like device on to the stemuntil it meets alimiting. shoulder, accurate adjustment of theparts isassured upon reassembling them in thedrait arm fol lowing their removalfor thepurpose of cleaning them. What will not be so evident from themere inspection of the structure as the ease for keeping the structureclean, is the important advantage of conserving the gaswith which thewater is charged. Actual experience shows that by avoiding the drivingof the charged water against sharp edgesor corners, the drink as it is;dispensed to the user contains twenty-five percent more gas than thatdispensed by one of my prior draft arms, and therefore possesses greaterlife and is more sparkling and refreshing.

While I have illustrated, and described with particularity only a singlepreferred form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to theexact structural details thus illustrated and de-' scribed; but intendto cover 'all 'forms and arrangements which comewithin the definitionsof *my' invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim: e 1. In a draft arm apparatus ofthe general character describedhaving an outlet forsirup, a' valve for said outlet, a nozzle for liquidunder high pressure above, andin-axial alignment with the valve, and atubular member. aligned with the nozzle and extendingthrough the centerof,

a valve for said outlet,'a nozzle for liquid under high pressure aboveand inaxial alignmentwith the valve. and a tubular member aligned withthen 0221c and extending through the center of the valve: said tubularmember being stationary, the valve having "a centralfrusto-conicalopening through which said tubular member1 passes, the smaller endof'said opening'having approximately the same diameter as. the externaldiameter of the tubular member so that the valve may rock on thelatter-as well as slide lengthwise thereof, an enlarged capsule-likeextension onthe lower endof said tubular member having side" outletsnear the upper end, a piston' in said extension below said outlets,thrust means resting on said piston and including pins'slidablethroughthe top of the extension and engage'dwith the under side of thevalve, and a compression spring in said extension below and exerting anupward pressure on the piston.

'3. In a draft arm apparatus of the general character described having.an outlet for sirup,

a valve for said outlet, afnoz'zle for liquid'unde'r high pressure aboveand in axial alignment with the valve, and a tubular member aligned withthe I nozzle and extendingthroughthe center of the valve: saidtubularmember beingstationaryand the valve being slidable thereon, anenlarged cap sule-like extension on the lower end of said tubu larmember having side :outletsnear the upper end, apiston in said extensionbelow said outlets,

adisk' havinga convex'under side resting on tending" slidably throughthe top of said extension into engagement with. the under side 'of saidpiston, pins restingon' said disk and exsaid valve, and a compressionspring in said extension below and exerting an upward pressure on saidpiston.

4. In a "draft arm apparatus of the general character described havingan outlet for" sirup, a valve'for said outlet, a nozzle for liquid underhigh pressure above and in axial alignment with thevalve, and a"tub ular member aligned with the nozzle and ext'endinglthroughthe center ofthe valve: said tubular memberbeing stationary and the valve beingslidable thereon, an enlarged capsule-like extension on the lower endofsaid tubular member having near the upper end side outlets in the formof a plurality of slots arranged in a mannercompletely toencircle thesaid extension except for short interruptions be tween adjacent slotends, a piston in said extension below said outletsjthrust meansresting-on said piston and including pins slidablethrough the top of theextensionand engaged withthe under side of the valve,and a compressionspring in said extension below and exerting an upward pressure'on thepiston. I

5.'In a draft arm apparatus of the general character described having anoutlet valve for said outlet, a nozzlefor the valve,;and atubularm'ember' aligned with for sirup, a liquid under high pressureabove and in axial alignment with the nozzle and extending through thecenter of the valve: said tubular member being stationary and the valvebeing slidable thereongan enlarged capsule-like extension on the lowerend of. said tubular member having near the upper end a group of slotsarranged in a manner completely I to en'cir'cle the said extensionexcept for short interruptions between'adjacentslot ends,-a piston insaid extension below said outlets, thrust means i resting on said pistonand including pins each located just inwardly from an unmutilated portion of said extension between two adjacent'slot ends and slidablethrough the top of the extension and engaged with the under side of thevalve, 7 and a compression spring in said extension below i and.exerting an upward pressurje'on the piston. n

6.-In a draft arm apparatus of the general. character described havingan outlet for sirup, a

valve for said outlet, a nozzle for liquid under high pressure above andin axial alignment with the valve, and a tubular memberaligned with thenozzle and extending through the center of the valve: said tubularmember being stationary and the valve being slidable thereon, anenlargedsaid disk and extending slidably through the top of said extension intoengagement with the under side ofsaid valve, said pins having shouldersto limit the upward movements thereof, a compression spring in saidextension below and exerting an upward pressure on said piston, and theside wall of said extension having long outlet slots arranged end to endto encircle the extension just below the top wall or the latter.

'7. In a draft arm apparatus of the general character described havingan outlet for sirup, a valve for said outlet, a nozzle for liquid underhigh pressure above and in axial alignment with the valve, and a tubularmember aligned with the nozzle and extending through the center of thevalve: said tubular member being stationary and the valve being slidablethereon, an enlarged capsule-like extension on the lower end of saidtubular member having near the upper end side outletsi-n the form of aplurality of slots arranged in amanner completely to encircle the saidextension except for short interruptions between adjacent slot ends, apiston in said'extension below said outlets, the side wall of theextension having an orifice therein a little below the top of thepiston, thrust means resting on said piston and including pins slidablethrough the top of the extension and engaged with the under sideof thevalve, and a compression spring in said extension below and exerting anupward pressure on the piston.

8. In a draft arm apparatus of the general character described having anoutlet for sirup, a valve for said outlet, a nozzle for liquid underhigh pressure above and in axial alignment with the valve, and a tubularmember aligned with the nozzle and extending through the center of thevalve: said tubular member being stationary and the valve being slidablethereon, an enlarged capsule-like extension on the lower end of saidtubular member, a piston in the upper part of said extension, a spreaderdisk having a flat polished top and a convex under side resting on saidpiston, pins resting on said disk and extending slidably through the topof said extension into engagement with the under side of said valve,said pins having shoulders to limit the upward movements thereof, acompression spring in'said extension below and exerting an upwardpressure on said piston, there being long outlet. slots through the sidewall of said extension at about the level of the top of the extensionand arranged end to end to encircle the extension, and all of the edgesof the slots having rounded corners.

9. In a draft arm apparatus of the general character described having anoutlet for sirup, a

a ve o sa d Ou et n le for q id under high pressure above and in axialalignment with the valve, and; a tubular member aligned with the nozzleand; extending through the center of the valve: saidtubular member beingstationary and the. valve being slidable thereon, an enlarged capsulelike extension on the lower end of said tubular member having, sideoutlets near the upper end, a piston in the upper part of saidextension, means resting on said piston and including pins extendings'lidably through the top of said extension into engagement with theunder side of said valve, a compression spring in said extension belowand exerting an upward pressure. on saidpiston, and there being longslots through the. side wall oi said extension encircling the latternear the topthereof, said extension' having a smooth periphery andterminating in a rounded point. i

10. Ina draft arm apparatus of the general character described havinganoutlet for sirup, a valve for said outlet,- a nozzle for liquid underhigh pressure above and in axial alignment with the valve, and a tubularmember, aligned with the nozzle and extending through the center of thevalve: said tubular member being stationary and the valve, being"slidable thereon, an enlarged capsule-like. extension on the lower endof said tubular member having side outlets near the, upper end, a pistonin the upper part of said extension, means resting on said piston andincluding pins extending slidably through the top of said extension intoengagement with the under side of said valve, a compression spring insaid extension below and exerting an upward pressureon said piston, andthere being long slots through the side wall of said extensionencircling the latter near the top thereof, said extension having asmooth periphery and terminating in a rounded point and having a drainorifice in the lower, end and a pressure reliei port at a point a littlebelow the top oi the piston when the latter is u 11. A valve device fora draft arm comprising a tubular member, a disk-like valve slidablethereon, an enlarged capsule-like extension on the lower end of saidtubular member, said extension being formed in two sections united byscrew threads, a piston in the upper part of said extension, a spreaderdisk having a convex underside resting on said piston, pins resting onsaid disk and extending slidably through the top of said extension intoengagement with the under side of said valve, said pins having shouldersto limit the upward movements thereof, a compression spring in saidextension below and exerting an upward pressure on said piston, and theside wall of said extension having long outlet slots arranged end to endto encircle the extension just below the top wall of the latter.

ALPHONSO L. KOENIG.

